Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 9, 1994 TAG: 9406090108
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
They also proved that Floyd's Jeff Agnew's wins were not because of any illegal mechanical advantage.
All it took was a lengthy post-race inspection, an overnight impounding of Agnew's Chevrolet Lumina and a Sunday morning call to NASCAR headquarters.
"There was a question on the camber of the rear end," Lynn Carroll, the track's chief steward, explained Sunday. "Once it was checked properly, it checked out."
The controversy came as the inspectors tore down Agnew's Lumina piece-by-piece after he swept the twin 75-lap Late Model Stock Car races in the Marathon-Jordan Oil/Cloud's Clothing 250.
The close scrutiny is not unusual when a driver becomes as dominant as Agnew has been - nine wins in 11 starts at NRVS.
"They didn't say anything about whether or not the car was wrong," said Agnew as he walked away from the meeting. "They said they wanted to talk to Jerry Cook [NASCAR's competition administrator]. It was something about the rear end tubes being bent."
To allow for further inspection, track officials decided to impound the car.
"They're just picking at us, it's not worth it," Bruce Sweeney, owner of the Agnew car, said as the car was being moved toward the trailer to be stored.
About the time Agnew's car was in place to be rolled inside the trailer, Sweeney decided he had seen enough. He ordered the crew to put the car on the team's truck.
If things had ended at that point, Agnew would have been disqualified from both races for not submitting to post-race inspection. But after a few minutes - and more meetings - cooler heads prevailed. The car was rolled into the trailer.
Carroll reached Cook and received clarification on how to check the rear end camber. The method used on the late model stocks, a division that has zero rear end camber, is different from the one used on Busch Grand National cars. Using that test, Agnew's car passed inspection, and his Saturday victories were upheld.
\ BOUNTY TIME: Franklin County Speedway Mini Stock driver Steve Lam of Blue Ridge has thoroughly dominated his class, winning nine consecutive 25-lap races. That has prompted promoter Whitey Taylor to put $300 bounty on Lam.
\ THIS WEEK AT THE TRACKS: At New River Valley Speedway, it is the Jesse Jones 200, featuring a regular night of racing action, including a 100-lap Late Model race. All races offer double points. Also, before the races, Mike Rossi will perform his Doomsday Chair stunt.
Gates open at 2 p.m. and racing begins at 8. Tickets are $10 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.
At Franklin County Speedway, it is the Virgil Goode for Senate 300. Goode, a state senator from Rocky Mount, is seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat held by U.S. Sen. Charles Robb. Taylor says the event will take on the tone of a political rally, including the obligatory barbecue.
Gates open at noon and racing begins at 8. Tickets are $5 for adults; children 10 and under get in free. The youngsters also will have the opportunity to take a lap with their favorite drivers.
by CNB